


i've got two friends.

by castawaypitch



Series: Carry On Countdown 2020 [9]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Butter, Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), Carry On Countdown Day 9, Childhood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Making Friends, Snowcember, Watford First Year, child baz, child penny, child simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27861777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castawaypitch/pseuds/castawaypitch
Summary: Carry On Countdown Day 9: Childhood.Snowcember Day 3: Butter.Things are magical at Watford: the places, the uniforms, the food. Are the friends too?
Series: Carry On Countdown 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026276
Kudos: 5
Collections: Carry On Countdown 2020





	i've got two friends.

"My name is Simon Snow." The black-haired boy looks at me, from head to toes, with a sneer on his face. I feel the magic pulling in my belly, is so strong I can feel the pain,  _ how can he be so natural?  _

It takes him almost a minute to finally shake hands with me, and all the pulling stops. I look around us, where almost everyone has found their roommate. "So, what's your name?" I ask him, trying to be nice. I'm not really used to talking, I didn't when I was in foster care, but now I'm here, and I haven't processed it yet. That weird man in green clothes, telling me I'm not just a wizard but I'm the most powerful, the saviour for a world I didn't even know existed. 

The boy looks at me, like he's looking at some weird creature. "I'm Tyrannus Basilton, the heir of the Grimm-Pitch House. I'd think you already knew that." I don’t. The posh way he talks is kind of funny for me, and I can't help but laugh. But his first name is even funnier, it sounds like Tyrannosaurus. His gaze is so serious when he realizes I'm giggling, so I stop.

From the centre of the Lawn, The Mage lifts his wand up, casting something. A new pull of magic, lighter this time, takes Basilton and me to a building. There are only boys in front of us, and the girls are going the other way. I realize, then, the spell is taking us to our dorms.

_ The Mummers Hous _ e, I read in the entrance when we get there. I'm behind Basilton, who seems to know what he is doing; I don't bother to pretend, I'm more interested in seeing everything I can. The magic is still pulling us, all the way up. We've been walking in the stairs through five floors now, and it doesn't stop. Until we get to a turret, with only one bedroom. Baz cast something on the door with his wand, and it opens in front of us. Is a big room, with two beds, two closets, and two desks. Basilton immediately takes the left side of the room, and starts unpacking his things. I walk to my bed, finding a uniform there. Is a green and purple striped blazer, with grey trousers and a red tie. I open my closet to save the few clothes I own, finding more uniforms there. I'm happy to be here, even if I have no idea what's going on; I finally have some clothes of my right size, and shoes too. I take a change of clothes and take it to the bathroom with me; I save the red ball I’ve brought in the pocket of my old jeans, and put on the grey new trousers. Looking at the mirror I look like someone else, like I  _ really  _ belong here; I even look tall, with my back straighten, and even handsome.

Until I go back to the room and see Basilton, looking absolutely posh, like is in his DNA. He doesn’t even look at me when he notices I’m back, just turn his back to me and keeps tying his tie on the mirror in his closet.

The next day I’m amazed when I go to get my breakfast. The hall is full of people, and there are entire tables with food on. I go straight to the scones —sour cherry scones—, it smells so good, almost magic (it would make sense if they’re, after everything). And taste even better, so good I feel like crying. 

Then, I notice people are looking at me, waiting for me to don’t notice, but I do. Probably they already know who I am, and why I’m here. I try to ignore them while I walk to my first class. But I can’t ignore Basilton, who’s eating with another boy. They both stare at me when I pass them.

There’s a girl, with brown skin and messy red hair, sitting beside me when I’m waiting for my first class —Magic Words— to start. The professor, Miss Possibelf, seems very nice. While everyone looks bored, like they’re not listening to something new, I focus all my attention. My wand is out (well, is not exactly mine; The Mage gave it to me, it was his father’s), trying to make work the spell we have to do.

I cast the words, as good as I can, but nothing happens. The girl beside notices it, and looks at me with compassion. "You're holding your wand backwards."

She helps me hold my wand right, and then I see the big purple gem on her right hand, the ring shining as she spells the football.

"Thank you."

"I know you're Simon Snow, my mom told me you'd be here. I'm Penelope Bunce."

I hold her hand, staring at her pointy purple glasses.  _ Cool, and weird.  _ I think. She's the first person here that doesn't stare at me like I'm a lost creature, a stranger, or something else.

"You know, is kinda weird staring at someone that way, even if they're your friends." My mouth is open, I close it.

"Are  _ we  _ friends?" Talking a few words to someone makes them your friends? Does that mean I'm friends now with Basilton too?

"I'm helping you, aren't I? We're friends now." I nod with a smile on my face; this girl Penelope  _ is _ nice. And I like the way she looks, weird glasses and all.

Once the classes finish, and the tea time starts, Penelope and I go together to the hall. She's telling me how she turned red her hair, naturally brown, with a spell.

"I could do it for you. I bet a light blonde would look good on you." She touches my curls, stretching them and giggling when they bounce back.

That's when I see Basilton again. I raise my hand, saying hi to him, but he ignores me and keeps walking.

"I didn't know you were friends with Baz Pitch." Says Penelope, sipping her tea. I shake my head, denying it.

"He is my roommate, actually. I tried to talk to him, but I don't think he likes me. The only friend I have are you."

"He is the son of the old headmistress; she died here, in the school, a few years ago. I've never liked him, he's too presumptuous."

"Is he?"

"He comes from the Old Families, they used to hold the power of the World of Mages before Natasha Pitch died and The Mage took the control. I don't like the idea, but he's practically your enemy, or something like that."

I bite my scone, thinking about it. Seems impossible that I'm supposed to be the hero of this story; if I don't know how to hold my wand right, what I'm supposed to do against that monster who sucks magic? How am I supposed to defeat the enemies I'll have?

Trying to leave that thought behind, I ask Penelope about magic. She seems very excited to tell me about Magic History and her favourite spells. I listen to her, glad to have a friend, my first friend ever.

* * *

By night, I get back to the turret, after a walk through the school with Penny —she told me to call her like that  _ “When you call me Penelope I feel like my mom is scolding me. Penny is okay.”  _ It turns that the school is many centuries old, and has a lot of mysteries and secret places, but definitely, my favourite part is the Great Lawn; there are goats in the back, and a woman who takes care of them, her name is Ebb.

Before going into the room, just when I’m about to open the door, I hear noises inside, like if someone is crying.

Should I get in? Probably Baz is going to get mad at me…

But if I don’t, will he be okay?

I open the door slowly, trying not to disturb him. I see him sitting on his bed, with both hands covering his face. There’s a picture beside him, but I can’t see what it is of.

“Baz? Are you okay?” Okay, that’s a dumb question. My hand rests on his shoulder, squeezing him just a little bit.

“Clearly, I’m  _ not.  _ Don’t you see?” This close to him I can get a better look of the picture, there’s a woman holding a baby on her arms. His mom and him, I think.

“You miss her, don’t you?” Baz cleans his tears off his face, staring at me with teary grey eyes. 

“You can’t imagine how much.”

I can’t help but give him a little smile, rubbing his back. 

“I don’t have a mom. Well, nor a dad. But I think I know how do you feel.” I’ve never really talked to someone about this, just came out so naturally now.

I always wondered how’d be to have a family. Even if I never got to meet my parents, a part of me missed them ( _ how is it possible to miss something you never had? _ ). Still, I’m hoping to know something about them, some time.

“You don’t know  _ nothing. _ ” He hisses.  _ The insufferable idiot.  _ “I saw her dying in front of my eyes, and couldn’t do anything to save her.”

“Well, I don’t know does feel that. But I  _ know _ what it is to miss someone.” He’s crying again, and I can’t believe he’s letting me watch him so vulnerable. “She’d be proud of you, anyway. And I think, wherever she is, she still loves you.”

Without even expecting it, Baz leans into me in a hug. I’m surprised, but anyway I wrap my arms around him, giving him the comfort I always needed.

I’m more surprised when I find myself crying too. 

I don’t know what’s going to happen to me for the next eight years. I don’t know if I’ll defeat the monster of my story, if I’ll make it out alive, after all. 

But tonight I know I’ve found  _ two  _ friends.


End file.
